Zoot Money
's aptly titled third album found him indeed making a transition, if a little awkwardly, from the jazzy R&B with which he'd started to something a bit more sophisticated and ambitious. While hardly a psychedelic LP, it did reflect the changing times of the mid- to late '60s in British pop, especially in what was by far the most unusual track, the
Andy Summers
-penned instrumental
"Soma,"
with its druggy drift and sitar. For the most part, however, the set was more in the jazz-soul-pop bag,
Summers
also making his presence known as co-writer of a couple of other tunes (
"Let the Music Make You Happy"
and
"Stop the Wedding"
) with
Money
. No doubt
got tired of the comparison through the years, but nonetheless it's an easy one: the material and arrangements do recall those of a more well-known singer mining similar territory in the 1960s,
Georgie Fame
. To be uncharitable,
's efforts compare unfavorably to
Fame
, especially in the vocal department,
Zoot
's gravelly tone being no match for
Georgie
's (or indeed numerous other blue-eyed British soulsters). Not to get down on this rare LP too much, it's a fairly enjoyable record if you keep your expectations modest. As songwriters,
Tony Colton
Raymond Smith
contribute a few numbers that are rather good, if on the poppier side of what
offers here, especially
"Recapture the Thrill of Yesterday"
-- which is about as poppy as
got, with the addition of backup harmonies betraying a slight
Beatles
/
Beach Boys
influence -- and the moody
"Coffee Song."
Other tracks are in a straighter R&B-jazz-soul mold that
does capably, but not brilliantly, with the uncharacteristically bossa nova-like
"Just a Passing Phase"
added for good measure. ~ Richie Unterberger